My ratings by kids age

My trip photos

They think of everything for families with children

The National Museum of Play is ideal for any age group, which means my toddler will continue to enjoy and learn as he grows older and explores more and more of this attraction. Most recently we visited the butterfly garden--since he's very into the Hungry Caterpillar right now. He was awe struck inside but hasn't stop talking about it since. Everything is interactive and focused on engaging kids and families in play. The museum features a Sesame Street exhibit and Elmo’s house, a child-sized grocery store complete with shopping carts, and check out registers, a Giant’s play room in the Reading Adventure area and a Super Hero hall of hero’s. There is also a carousel, ride on train, indoor butterfly garden and dance room. For older kids and adults there is the National Toy Hall of Fame and the Video Game exhibit. My toddler enjoys these areas too, but sometimes I wish I can play longer before its back to Elmo’s house. They think of everything a parent might need. There are quiet rooms stationed all over the museum for nursing mothers, napping and any other need that might arise. There is a food court for meal-times, which includes several restaurant choices as well as a healthy snack machine, but pleases no food in the museum play areas. There are even strollers to borrow and an enormous fish tank in the entry way so your children are still entertained while you pack bags, collect coats or need a quick head count. In the summer they end each day with a parade through the museum with music and noise makers. As a parent I so appreciate this—it helps move my child to the front door without a melt-down. Fun and affordable this is an exhibit that you will want to return to again and again as there is always something new to discover.

Tips for Families

Bring a camera; there are fun photo opportunities everywhere. Kids are kids, take advantage of the antibacterial dispensers stationed around the museum especially during cold and flu season. Return, there is too much to see it all in one visit. There is extra cost to riding the train, the carousel and visiting the butterfly garden

My ratings by kids age

I wish we could mover to Rochester just so we could go there every week!

I drove more than an hour to the Museum, fully expecting my 3 year old to have a meltdown by nap time. Not only did she make it through nap time, but well into the evening. It was very busy, but somehow there was an aura of organized chaos (kind of like parenting!). The hands on nature of the majority of the displays was engaging and fun for children as well as adults. I have only positive things to say about this place!

Tips for Families

Next time I go, I will be bringing our own lunch. The food court was packed during lunch time, leading to a long wait and us barely catching a table to eat at.

Campbell, California

My ratings by kids age

My trip photos

A Full-Day Experience!

We visited the Strong National Museum of Play with our 2 1/2 year old daughter, and it did not disappoint. For one thing, the museum itself is huge - so huge, in fact, that we were there for a good four hours moving at what I thought was a pretty good pace, and we still didn't make it through the entire facility. I loved the Sesame Street exhibit, where you can take a photo of your child standing on a doorstep that is a replica of the set from the show. My daughter's favorite exhibits included the area of Elmo's World where she could see herself "on TV" with various Sesame Street characters, as well as the sandbox with dump trucks, the musical instrument section (especially the keyboard), a huge train table near the Butterfly Garden, the tinker toy table upstairs, the giant Lite Brite (so cool!), the carousel, and the little bank in the Berenstain Bears section. She found the play money and made one "deposit" after another. If you have older children, there's plenty for them as well - a theater with dress-up clothes and a stage, a huge exhibit devoted solely to superheroes, and a large video game-themed section upstairs. We all loved the Magic Wings Butterfly Garden, where hundreds of butterflies live in a lush greenhouse. This museum is definitely worth a repeat visit, and I suspect we'll be going back often as our daughter grows. If you only have time to do one kid-friendly activity in Rochester, this should be it.

Tips for Families

Get there as soon as the museum opens to beat the crowds. You'll notice the museum filling up as the day goes on. Do the Butterfly Garden early on. It can be a bit of a wait to get in, and once you're in there, you're pretty much a captive audience until it's time to open the exit doors. If you're traveling with younger children, you'll want to cover this part *before* any sort of overtired meltdown becomes imminent - loud noises are discouraged. Also, don't forget to bring cash for the carousel near the entrance/exit!

Suggestions for nearby family-friendly accommodations

Definitely go for any one of the local extended stay chains. There is no minimum stay for most of them. For the price of a regular hotel room (or less), you can get a 1-bedroom suite with a separate living/sleeping area and a fully-equipped kitchenette. They often have indoor pools and free breakfasts, too, as well as free Wi-Fi. We had separate flat screen TVs in the living room and in the master bedroom, very powerful air conditioning with separate units in each room, and a vanity area that was separate from the bathroom. You can actually cook in the room and use the refrigerator and freezer to store food (no bar fridge). Look for deals - sometimes you get get a suite like this for under $100/night. We stayed at the Homewood Suites in Greece (nearby suburb) and it was great. It was right near a Starbucks and was minutes from downtown Rochester. I always book an extended stay room if possible when traveling as a family. You get so much more room, and you can't get better amenities for the price.

Suggestions for nearby family-friendly restaurants

You can technically leave the museum to go get lunch and then come back later, but it would be a pain, especially with young kids for whom every pre-nap minute counts. You'd be better off bringing your own lunch with you and eating it at the food court tables than eating at the food court itself or the diner. First of all, there are few healthy options (the healthiest being Subway), and secondly, the food at the on-site diner was extremely disappointing. My burger was smashed flat, gray, and greasy, with condiments already added including one I didn't want. The fries were nothing special. I ended up throwing most of my overpriced lunch away. My husband didn't care for his diner order, either. Not worth it! Next time I'll just throw a couple of Ziploc-bagged sandwiches and a couple of apples in my bag, grab a food court table, and call it a day.

Great place for all ages

The Strong is a wonderful place for families to visit. There are numerous sections to review and there is something to learn around every corner. You can see popular items as the Wegmans store and Sesame Street or venture to the Reading Adventureland and get lost in activities based on all the classic book genres. Everything is hands-on. There are smaller spaces (similar to sandboxes, without the sand) for little ones to play. Upstairs there is a dance floor and large arcade area for the older kids. As much fun as it is to play with the smaller kids I enjoyed sharing "the toys I grew up with" with the older kids. This museum reminds us that play is for everyone.

Tips for Families

There are a variety of fast food options in the museum but no food/drink is allowed in the main part of the museum so if your child is used to having an easy to grab snack on hand you may have to plan something else. The gift shops are FULL of wonderful items. If you have no intentions of buying things steer clear because it is hard to get kids out of there. You will need extra cash for carousel, train ride and arcade games.

My ratings by kids age

My trip photos

Our favorite location for fun in this fine city!

We found out that there was to be a Lego exhibit and worked out an opportunity to get there before the exhibit left. We were not sorry! We thoroughly enjoyed this carefully thought out museum of both actual old toys on display on the top floor and interactive exhibits for young to old children of all ages throughout. A large play kitchen was our daughter's delight, and the computers with games were fun even for mommy & daddy. Of course the Legos were our son's favorite. We went to the (extra cost) butterfly area but wow, it was sweaty in there considering it was the beginning of April. I think our pictures tell the story best, but really, it's worth exploring the place for yourself if you're at all in the neighborhood!

Tips for Families

Snacks, water, camera, check! Layers to be able to take OFF in the butterfly area.